Eliminating Contact Forms
The idea of using a form to send an email to a site administrator is getting to be a little old fashioned. It was originally developed to provide more security from simply listing an email address on a page which invites spam to the email address listed.
PraiseWorx takes a different approach which provides an additional layer of privacy around the email address reducing the probability of spam. But this technique requires the viewer to have the default email client set up.
Huh?? Yes to some that’s a little too technical. So let’s explain.
The tool used to view email is simply referred to as the email client. This client can be embedded as part of a web page as is the case with Gmail, AOL, yahoo and protonmail. The client could also be a separate detached application running on the device (desktop computer, laptop or phone). If you can open your email without having an internet connection, that is a good sign the client is a separate detached application.
Setting up the default email client allows the email client to automatically be opened when an email address is clicked on if the email address is set up with the mailto: as the html protocol. In otherwords if the email address has this programming behind it. At Praiseworx we set up all email addresses this way. It is just the professional way to to things when building out web pages.
The biggest advantage to using your own email client to contact someone is that you (the viewer) now have your own record of the email, since it will be stored in your Sent mail box. And if you don’t get a response in a timely fashion from the recipient, you can easily resend it. The control is now in the senders (your) hands.
The assumed disadvantage to the website owner is that you (the viewer) have left taken your focus off of the website. At Praiseworx we don’t see this as a horrific disadvantage since the email will get to the website owner giving them the opportunity to continue the interaction. So it is still a win-win.
Here are the steps for setting up your email client:
Microsoft Computer:
Mac Computer:
Iphone:
Other Phone: